


Memories (sweetened through the ages just like wine)

by Gilded_Moon



Series: That's Where Music Comes From [2]
Category: The Witchlands Series - Susan Dennard
Genre: F/M, Love Confessions, Requited Love, Teenage Dorks, that's about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27882306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilded_Moon/pseuds/Gilded_Moon
Summary: Iseult has been harboring feelings for her childhood best friend, Aeduan. There's no way he feels the same.Right?Or the first in a series of missing scenes from the main fic, Music To My Ears.
Relationships: Aeduan/Iseult det Midenzi
Series: That's Where Music Comes From [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018462
Comments: 6
Kudos: 4





	Memories (sweetened through the ages just like wine)

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty much what it says on the tin. Happy reading!- Moon

Two years ago

Biology. It was one of Iseult’s favorite classes in her sophomore year. She loved to do research on whatever subject she was given, and that was not even mentioning the labs.

The labs were the best part of biology in Iseult’s opinion. This was partly because she got to work with her best friend Safi on every lab and project. They worked perfectly together. Plus, they had fun.

This time, the teacher decided to choose partners instead.

“Iseult, you’ll be working with Aeduan for this project.”

Iseult smiled but felt her heartbeat pick up speed. Aeduan had been best friends with Iseult since they little kids. Their friendship had begun when Iseult and Aeduan had been playing a game of tag on a roof with Safi and Merik. Aeduan had been chasing Iseult and tagged her, but neither noticed how close to the edge of the roof they were. Both of them had fallen off the roof and landed in the bushes below.

More specifically, Aeduan had landed on his back and Iseult had landed right on top of him. After apologizing to her, Aeduan had asked if Iseult wanted to be friends.

Eleven years later and Iseult was feeling more than friendship for Aeduan. If she was being honest, her feelings had moved past friendly a long time ago. Not that Iseult was going to admit that. She didn’t even know if he felt the same, but oh what if he did-

7 x 2 is 14. 7 x 3 is 21. 7 x 4 is 28. Calm down, Iseult. It’s just your best friend. Your handsome, adorable best frie-

“It’s nice to work together for once isn’t it?”

Iseult jumped as her thoughts were interrupted by the same boy who occupied them. “Yes, it is. This ought to be interesting,” said Iseult, pointing at Safi and her new partner, Merik.

Aeduan grimaced and said, “It will be if they don’t kill each other.”

“So what are we doing?” Iseult had definitely not been too busy thinking about her best friend and whether he felt the same as she did to really pay attention to instructions besides “do a project.” Definitely not. “I didn’t quite hear what the project was about.”

Aeduan smirked at her. “My oh my, top of the class not paying attention hmmm?”

Iseult blushed and shoved him with her shoulder. “Just answer the question.”

“We’ll be assigned two animals, and we have to make a big poster detailing their relationship,” said Aeduan.

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Iseult said.

In fact, it sounded kind of fun.

A moment of silence passed and then Aeduan started predicting all of the things Safi was liable to do to Merik while they worked together. Iseult couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous things Aeduan came up with.

He was good at that, making her laugh. That was an impressive thing as not many people could.

8 x 5 is 40. 8 x 6 is 48. Stop thinking like that Iseult. The teacher is coming to assign your animals. Pay attention.

The teacher stopped in front of her and Aeduan’s seats and said, “Ok you two are getting an owl and a bat.”

Aeduan and Iseult nodded and watched the teacher walk towards the aura of irritation that was Safi and Merik’s desks.

“So an owl and a bat,” Iseult said. “That shouldn’t be too hard.”

Aeduan shrugged. “Not really. Want to get started?”

“Yes.”

*

Their teacher had taken the entire class to the computer lab and told them to sit next to their partners. The only available computer lab was tiny and cramped. The computers were set on circular desks with metal wheely chairs that squeaked every time you moved. They were uncomfortable, but the administration didn’t care enough about the students to buy new chairs. *

“I swear these chairs are older than Henrick,” Iseult grumbled as she sat down.

Aeduan grimaced at the squeak his chair made and said, “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Iseult was about to ask Aeduan where he wanted to start the research for their project when Safi plopped into the seat beside her.

“I cannot believe I have to work with a self-centered moron while you get to work with your crush,” she muttered.

“Shut up, Safi!” Iseult looked at Aeduan to make sure he hadn’t heard then turned back to her friend. ** “Don’t say that around him. I don’t want him to hear and besides, there’s no way he feels the same.”

Safi stared at Iseult with a raised eyebrow. She knew exactly what the adoring looks, the offerings of food, and other such things from Aeduan meant. “Sure Iz. I believe that,” Safi deadpanned.

Iseult decided not to dignify her best friend’s words with a response. This was a good idea as Merik sat down next to Safi at that moment.

“Quit goofing off, Hastrel,” he said. “We need to get started.”

Safi whipped her head around to glare at Merik. “Oh, so when I talk to my friend it’s ‘goofing off’ but when you do it, it’s ‘planning important things.’”

Merik bristled and growled back, “We are planning important things. You are goofing off.”

Safi scoffed at Merik . “Like what? Did you break a favorite vase, but nobody realized it’s broken yet, and now you have to fix it before they do?”

“Yes, actually. Stop distracting me! Get to work.”

Iseult raised her eyebrows and looked at Aeduan.

He caught her gaze and groaned. “Please. I thought we agreed never to bring up the vases again.”***

“I didn’t say anything,” said Iseult.

“You know what I mean.”

Iseult laughed as she returned to her research.

*

The teacher had not given them any time to work on the actual poster in class. She told the students they would have to work on it outside of school.

This meant Iseult would have to go to Aeduan’s house since her mother didn’t like him and didn’t like hosting people anyway. 

This was nothing new. Iseult spent as little time at home as she could anyway and was often found with a friend. She knew that Gretchya would call her if she was needed.

She never was.

Iseult shook her thoughts away as she knocked on Aeduan’s front door. The door opened and Iseult found herself looking up at Aeduan’s father, Ragnor.

“Here again are you?”

Iseult nodded rather than answered. Ragnor always made her nervous although she didn’t know why.

“Well come in. He’s in my office.”

“Tha-thank you sir. I w-will go find him.”

Iseult hurried past Ragnor and towards his office. Aeduan sitting at a large table with a blank poster board and his biology folder. There was also a bag of food from the new café that Iseult loved.

Aeduan looked up as he heard her enter the room. A grin spread across his face, and it tugged at Iseult’s heart. 

“Hey Iseult. I got you some food and coffee from that café that you like.”

Iseult returned his grin and sat down beside him. “Thanks, Aeduan. They smell delicious.”

Aeduan pulled out several wrapped sandwiches and what smelled like-

“Are those cinnamon rolls? They’re my favorite!” Iseult didn’t care for most sweet things****, but she could never pass up a cinnamon roll.

Aeduan chuckled and passed Iseult one of the sandwiches and the cinnamon rolls. “I know they are. I saw them, and I just had to buy them for you.”

A blush dusted Iseult’s cheeks as she said, “Thank you.”

The next half hour was spent in a companionable silence as both of them ate the sandwiches. Iseult had offered to share her cinnamon rolls with Aeduan, but he refused because he “bought them for you to enjoy.”

After they had finished their dinner, they began work on their poster. The teacher had said each poster needed pictures, accurate information, and color. It also had to be neat and readable. Each pair would present beginning the next day.

Iseult and Aeduan made quick work of the poster. Both of them were fast and efficient workers. It was one of the things Iseult liked about him.

Come on Iseult. Think about something else like where on earth the glue disappeared to.

Iseult looked around the table for the glue and spotted it next to Aeduan who was finishing gluing down a picture of an owl.

“Can you pass me the glue when you’re done with it?”

“Of course.” Aeduan picked up the glue and passed it to Iseult. When she reached for the glue, she accidentally brushed his fingers with her own.

Iseult felt her face turn red and stammered out a thank you.

She looked back down at the picture of the bat she was supposed to glue down. As Iseult looked down at the poster, she thought she noticed a blush on Aeduan’s face as well. 

I must be imagining things. He doesn’t feel like that. Iseult thought back to what Safi had said earlier, but she couldn’t believe her friend was right however much she wanted her to be.

Eventually, they finished the poster. It looked good. Iseult felt confident that they would get a good grade on the poster and on their presentation.

Iseult glanced at her phone to check the time and gasped. It was nearly 9:30 at night. She hadn’t realized how late it was. Time simply seemed to fly past Iseult as she talked and worked with Aeduan.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t realize how late it was. I-I should b-be going h-home,” she said. “It’s late and I-I am keeping y-you up, and I n-need to le-let you sleep. I’ll se-see you to-tomorrow.”

Iseult grabbed her bag and turned to run out the door when she felt Aeduan grab her wrist.

“Wait,” Aeduan said softly. “It’s okay, Iseult. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Aeduan rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I didn’t notice the time either.”

Aeduan cleard his throat and said something that made Iseult’s blood run cold. “I uh, heard what you and Safi were talking about in the computer lab today.”

Iseult flushed with embarrassment. She couldn’t believe he had heard them. He knew how Iseult felt, and he hadn’t mentioned it. He must have been trying not to humiliate her.

Iseult stepped back out Aeduan’s grasp and looked sadly at the ground. “I didn’t me-mean for y-you to hear t-that.” She took a deep breath. “I k-know you do-don’t feel the sa-same, and t-that’s okay.”

A beat of silence passed. Iseult couldn’t believe she had messed up their friendship like this. She had embarrassed herself and Aeduan too and oh what was she going to do to fix this-

“What do you mean I don’t feel the same? I’ve been crushing on you since seventh grade,” said Aeduan.

Iseult was speechless. She couldn’t believe it. “Really? Y-you like me too?”

Aeduan’s gaze turned soft. “I really do.”

Aeduan reached out and grabbed Iseult’s hands and stepped close to her. “I know it’s probably not the best way to ask, but would you uh, like to go out with me?”

Iseult blushed even harder if that was possible. “I’d love to go out with you Aeduan.”

Aeduan beamed. He opened his mouth to ask her something but was stopped by a buzz from Iseult’s phone.

Iseult glanced down at phone with an irritation that only grew when she saw a text from Gretchya. “I’m sorry. My mother wants me home.”

Aeduan pouted but agreed that it was best for Iseult to head home.

He walked her to his front door and stood on the porch with her. 

“Would you like to hang out together tomorrow?”

Iseult smiled and said, “I’d love to.”

They looked at each for a moment and Iseult made a decision. 

She opened her arms and wrapped them around Aeduan. After a moment of surprise, he hugged her back. 

After a few moments of bliss, Iseult stepped back because she really did need to go home.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” she said.

Aeduan smiled softly. “Yeah firefly. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Iseult began the walk back to her house which was at the end of the street. She was glad the teacher had decided to choose partners for this project.

It was her favorite one yet.

**Author's Note:**

> *Still based off my old high school. This is true. The administration hated us.
> 
> **Aeduan had heard and was in a bit of a shock.
> 
> ***I credit the vase reference entirely to this tumblr post https://gilded-moon.tumblr.com/post/636577484011388928/well-technically-merik-was-homeless-for-a-while-in
> 
> ****Cinnamon rolls and Aeduan being the only exceptions. 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed it! Feel free to come yell about whatever at my tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gilded-moon. Good whatever time of day it is.


End file.
